Abstract: In an intake-air quantity control apparatus for an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable valve timing system associated with at least an intake valve, a throttle valve located upstream of the intake valve, a throttle actuator variably adjusting a throttle opening of the throttle valve, sensors detecting engine operating conditions, an electronic control unit is connected electrically to the sensors, the variable valve timing system, and the throttle actuator, for automatically controlling an intake-air quantity of air entering the engine depending on the engine operating conditions. The control unit calculates a desired intake-air quantity based on the engine operating conditions, and calculates a threshold limit value that corresponds to a lower limit intake-air quantity above which valve timing control of the intake valve enables the intake-air quantity to be brought closer to the desired intake-air quantity.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an engine having an intake manifold and an outlet control device coupled to the manifold for controlling flow exiting the manifold and entering at least one cylinder of the engine. The engine further includes an inlet control device for controlling flow entering the manifold. The method includes providing an engine command; calculating a desired cylinder charge based on said command; and adjusting the outlet control device to provide said desired cylinder charge. The engine command may be, for example, a driver command, such as a driver torque command. Further, the outlet control device may be implement in with a variety of mechanisms. For example, in one embodiment the outlet control device is a valve of the engine having a variable lift. In one embodiment the outlet device is a valve having variable timing. Likewise, the inlet device may be adjusted in response to a variety of parameters.

Abstract: In control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine having variably operated engine valves, a target vacuum pressure is calculated on the basis of an engine driving condition and an opening angle of an electronically controlled throttle valve is disposed in an intake air passage to achieve the target vacuum pressure. A target air quantity to be sucked within an engine cylinder on the basis of the engine driving condition is calculated and a valve closure timing of an intake valve of, e.g., an electromagnetic operation type is controlled to achieve the target air quantity. At this time, in accordance with the target vacuum pressure TBOOST(or in accordance with an actual vacuum pressure BOOST detected by means of a vacuum pressure sensor), the target air quantity to calculate the valve closure timing of the intake valve calculated on the basis of target air quantity is corrected or the intake valve closure timing IVC per se is corrected by a correction value of &Dgr;IVC.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine equipped with a pair of intake ports for each cylinder and capable of controlling a quantity of air entering the engine by controlling an intake valve open timing and an intake valve closure timing of each of a pair of intake valves located in the respective intake ports, a two-intake-valve operating mode is used in a high-load, high-speed operating range, whereas a one-intake-valve operating mode is used in predetermined low- and mid-load, low- and mid-speed operating ranges to create a great gas flow within the cylinder. A fuel injector is located in a first one of the intake ports to allow air flow through the first intake port over all operating ranges.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a piston-type internal combustion engine comprising gas-exchange valves which can be driven in a completely variable manner by a motor control (2) and which communicate with an air supply channel (4) provided with a device (6) for generating a negative pressure using the energy components of the air flowing through said air supply channel (4). This device is provided with means that can be driven for adaptation to the modifications in the flow energy which are inherent to the operation, and communicates with at least one negative-pressure user (8, 9, 10) through at least one negative-pressure duct (7).

Abstract: A control system controls an intake air quantity to an engine by controlling an intake valve closing timing, instead of, or in cooperation with, a throttle valve. A controller estimates a quantity of internal EGR gases remaining in a cylinder, and controls the intake valve closing timing to a desired target timing determined in due consideration of the estimated internal EGR quantity. The estimated internal EGR quantity is a sum of a base quantity and an increase correction quantity determined in accordance with a valve overlap period, its middle angular position in crankshaft rotation and intake pressure. The target intake valve closing timing is determined in accordance with a target intake air quantity and the estimated internal EGR quantity.

Abstract: In a control apparatus and method for controlling an intake air quantity for an internal combustion engine, a throttle position of a throttle valve installed in an intake system of the engine is controlled in such a manner that an intake pressure around the throttle valve (pressure difference between upstream and downstream sides of the throttle valve or a ratio of a pressure between the upstream and downstream sides of the throttle valve) is maintained constant at an approximately predetermined negative pressure under a predetermined (low) engine load condition and a valve closure timing of at least one intake valve installed to open and close each corresponding combustion chamber of the engine is simultaneously controlled to regulate an intake air quantity supplied to the engine under the predetermined (low) engine load condition.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically controlling the torque output of the various cylinders of a camless internal combustion engine. The system and method selectively alter the timing profiles of the engine's valves, effective to balance the torque outputs of the engine's cylinders.

Abstract: A four-cycle engine for a marine drive has an air induction device introducing air to a combustion chamber. The air induction device defines an intake port next to the combustion chamber. An intake valve is movable between open and closed positions of the intake port. A valve actuator is journaled on the engine body for rotation to actuate the intake valve at a set angular position. A setting mechanism is arranged to set the valve actuator to the angular position between advanced and delayed angular positions. A sensor is arranged to sense an amount of the air within the induction device. A control system is configured to control the setting mechanism based upon the signal of the sensor. The control system controls the setting mechanism to set the valve actuator to an angular position that is closer to the first angular position than a present angular position when the signal indicates that the amount of the air increases and a change rate of the amount is greater than a preset change rate.

Abstract: A method for controlling an engine having both an electronically controlled inlet device, such as an electronic throttle unite, and an electronically controlled outlet device, such as a variable cam timing system is disclosed. The method of the present invention achieves cylinder air charge control that is faster than possible by using an inlet device alone. In other words, the method of the present invention controls cylinder air charge faster than manifold dynamics by coordination of the inlet and outlet device. This improved control is used to improve various engine control functions.

Abstract: A system and method of optimally controlling ignition timings in an engine conditioned in first and second modes of intake control. A control unit includes an unthrottled operation control conducting the first mode by varying a closing timing of an intake valve and fixing a throttle position of a throttle valve, a throttled operation control conducting the second mode by varying the throttle position of the throttle valve and fixing the closing timing of the intake valve, and an ignition timing control determining different ignition timings to be used in the first and second modes.

Abstract: A control method of an internal combustion engine with which braking force while reducing the speed of the motor vehicle can be established by generating pumping loss effectively by using a variable valve mechanism enabling to control arbitrarily the open-close timing and the lift amount of air intake and exhaust valves of the engine. When the break step-on force detection means detects a step-on force on a brake and an operation of the anti-lock brake system is selected, at least one of the intake valve or the exhaust valve is made close, another one not closed of the intake valve or the exhaust valve is made open once in a single revolution of the engine while a piston moves from a top dead center to a bottom dead center, and a lift of the valve is controlled to be a designated value.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle employing a parallel hybrid system, using both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for propulsion, comprises a propulsion mechanism having at least a first electric motor, an internal combustion engine, a clutch, a second electric motor, a transmission, and drive wheels, and constructed so that a crankshaft of the engine and a motor shaft of the first electric motor are connected to an input shaft of the clutch, and that a motor shaft of the second electric motor and an input shaft of the transmission are connected to an output shaft of the clutch to transmit a driving torque from the output shaft of the transmission to the drive wheels. An engine temperature sensor is provided for detecting an engine temperature.

Abstract: A method of operating an automotive-type engine at part loads by eliminating engine throttling altogether and controlling the intake flow by heating the intake air and utilizing variable late or early intake valve closings.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling an internal combustion engine wherein a torque reducing control of the opening times of the inlet and outlet valves of the engine and/or a torque reducing control of the geometry of the inlet or outlet systems of the engine is undertaken in the case of a drive slip control.

Abstract: A process for operating an internal combustion heat engine which comprises the steps of thermochemically regenerating waste heat rejected by the heat engine by reacting at least one conventional fuel compound containing hydrogen and carbon with an oxygen donor using substantial quantities of the waste heat to produce a mixture of engine-fuel containing substantial quantities of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and utilizing the mixture of engine-fuel to operate an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A control system for controlling an internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust valves and a fuel supply unit for supplying fuel into an intake port includes electromagnetic actuators for selectively opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves under electromagnetic forces. An opening or valve lift of the intake valve for obtaining a necessary amount of intake air and an amount of fuel to be injected are calculated on the basis of engine load conditions. The electromagnetic actuators and the fuel supply unit are controlled on the basis of the calculated valve opening and amount of fuel to be injected for thereby controlling the air-fuel mixture ratio of an air-fuel mixture introduced into an engine cylinder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for unthrottled load control of an internal combustion engine by means of exhaust gas. The method requires entirely freely adjustable opening and closing times for the inlet and exhaust valves. Starting at full load with the minimum of exhaust gas in the cylinder the amount of exhaust gas in the cylinder is increased thereby reducing the available combustion chamber volume for receiving fresh mixture mass thereby reducing the load. The fresh mixture mass and the exhaust gas mass are controlled exclusively by coordinating the opening and closing times of the intake and exhaust valves.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine having a pair of intake valves, the valve driving system for timing the intake valves is provided with a valve timing changing mechanism for changing the timing of at least one of the intake valves. The valve timing changing mechanism retards or advances the timing of said one intake valve to change the total intake valve opening time, i.e., the time that at least one of the intake valves is open, according to the operating condition of the engine.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the compression release retarding of a multi-cylinder four cycle internal combustion engine are provided. The process provides a compression release event and a bleeder event or a second compression releaser event for each engine cylinder during each complete engine cycle while employing only one intake valve opening per engine cycle. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the normal motion of the exhaust valve is disabled and replaced with an opening of the exhaust valve at about the top dead center position of the engine piston following the compression stroke; maintaining the exhaust valve in the open position during the expansion stroke; partially closing the exhaust valve during the exhaust stroke; and fully closing the exhaust valve during the intake stroke.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber, an intake system having an intake valve and an intake passage leading through the intake valve to the combustion chamber for providing a supply of intake gas to the combustion chamber. A valve timing control device is provided for governing opening and closing timings of the intake valve so that the intake valve is closed at a controlled timing in the compression stroke, whereby a controlled amount of the intake gas is returned from the combustion chamber to the intake passage in the compression stroke to thereby control the effective charge to the combustion chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a variable valve timing system for an internal combustion engine which cyclically opens and closes a port providing fluid communication between a combustion chamber and a conduit leading thereto and which delays the closure of the port in response to a signal indicative of the power output required of the engine in order to vary the ratio of the mass of fluid inducted into the chamber to the mass of fluid expelled from said chamber during the period the port is open so that the mass of fluid retained in the chamber after closure of the port can be controlled without the use of a throttle valve.